Buckle

ABSTRACT

A buckle includes a female buckle member, which has a top-open receiving chamber, a front receiving portion, and a rear locating groove for the mounting of a fastening member to fasten the female buckle member to a product, a male buckle member, which has a base fitting a front side of the female buckle member, a rear mounting hole in the rear bottom side of the base for the mounting of a cord member, and a plug extending from the front side of the base and insertable through the front receiving portion into the top-open receiving chamber to lock the male buckle member to the female buckle member, and an operating member, which has a middle part pivoted to the female buckle member, a front press portion, a rear finger strip covered over the locating groove of the female buckle member for lifting by the user to turn the front press portion downwards and to further force the plug of the male buckle member away from the front receiving portion of the female buckle member, and two vertical bottom walls respectively stopped at the top side of the female buckle member to keep the rear finger strip above the female buckle member at a distance for easy grasp by the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to buckles for joining two straps and more particularly, to such a buckle, which has a smoothly arched operating member convenient for operation by the user to unlock the male buckle member from the female buckle member.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various buckles have been disclosed for use in backpacks, travel bags, shoulder bags and many other devices to join straps or cord members. These buckles are commonly comprised of a male buckle member and a female buckle member. A different design of buckle provides a different engagement structure between the male buckle member and the female buckle member, and a different operation process to unlock the engagement structure. Different designs of buckles also provide different effects. FIG. 7 illustrates a buckle according to the prior art. According to this design, the female buckle member A comprises a receiving hole A1 for receiving a female buckle member B, a pivoted operating lever A2, which has a press portion A21 at its front end and a finger strip A22 at its rear end, a mounting portion A3 spaced below the finger strip A22 of the operating lever A2. The male buckle member B comprises a base B1, a mounting portion B11 disposed at the rear side of the base B1, a plug portion B2 disposed at the front side of the base B1, and a retainer spring B21 extending from the plug portion B2.

When in use, two cord members C are respectively fastened to the mounting portion A3 of the female buckle member A and the mounting portion B11 of the male buckle member B. By means of fastening the male buckle member B to the female buckle member A, the two cord members C are joined together. When the retainer spring B21 is inserted with the plug portion B2 into the receiving hole A1 of the female buckle member A, the retainer spring B21 is stopped against the inside wall of the receiving hole A1, thereby securing the plug portion B2 positively to the receiving hole A1, and therefore the female buckle member A and the male buckle member B are locked. When wishing to release the male buckle member B from the female buckle member A, operate the finger strip A22 to turn the press portion A21 downwards against the retainer spring B21, forcing the retainer spring B21 away from the engagement position. At this time, the user can pull the male buckle member B from the female buckle member A directly.

The aforesaid prior art buckle design is still not satisfactory in function because of the following drawbacks:

1. After installation of the cord members C in the mounting portion A3 of the female buckle member A and the mounting portion B11 of the male buckle member B, the free ends of the cord members C are respectively exposed to the outside of the female buckle member A and the male buckle member B, thus, the female buckle member A and the male buckle member B do not have much space for the operation of the user's fingers, resulting in inconvenience in fastening the male buckle member B to the female buckle member A.

2. The finger strip A22 of the pivoted operating lever A2 is stopped at the top side of the female buckle member A, and the part of the finger strip A22 that protrudes over the rear side of the female buckle member A is short. It is inconvenient to grip the finger strip A22 with the fingers.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide a buckle that eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide a buckle, which is convenient to lock and to unlock. It is another object of the present invention to provide a buckle, which keeps the fastening member and the cord member from sight, causing a sense of beauty.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the buckle comprises a female buckle member, which has a top-open receiving chamber, a front receiving portion, and a locating groove for the mounting of a fastening member to fasten the female buckle member to a product, a male buckle member, which has a base fitting a front side of the female buckle member, a rear mounting hole in the rear bottom side of the base for the mounting of a cord member, and a plug extending from the front side of the base and insertable through the front receiving portion into the top-open receiving chamber to lock the male buckle member to the female buckle member, and an operating member, which has a middle part pivoted to the female buckle member, a front press portion, and a rear finger strip covered over the locating groove of the female buckle member for lifting by the user to turn the front press portion downwards and to further force the plug of the male buckle member away from the front receiving portion of the female buckle member. After installation of the fastening member in the locating groove of the female buckle member to affix the female buckle member to the product, the operating member is pivoted to the female buckle member to keep the fastening member from sight. After fastening of the male buckle member to the cord member, the base of the male buckle member keeps the cord member from sight.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the operating member comprises two vertical bottom walls and two stop flanges respectively stopped at the top side of the female buckle member to keep the rear finger strip above the top side of the female buckle member at a distance for the grasping of the fingers conveniently.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational assembly view of a buckle in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational exploded view of the buckle in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional exploded view of the buckle in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional applied view of the buckle in accordance with the present invention (I).

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional applied view of the buckle in accordance with the present invention (II).

FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional applied view of the buckle in accordance with the present invention (III).

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a buckle according to the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1˜3, a buckle in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of a female buckle member 1, a male buckle member 2 and an operating member 3.

The female buckle member 1 comprises a top-open receiving chamber 11, a bottom opening 111 in the bottom side of the top-open receiving chamber 11, two pivot holes 112 disposed at two opposite lateral sides in communication with the top-open receiving chamber 11, a front receiving portion 12 at the front side of the top-open receiving chamber 11, a locating groove 13 at the rear side of the top-open receiving chamber 11, and a bottom mounting through hole 131 in the bottom side of the locating groove 13. The front receiving portion 12 comprises a receiving hole 121 disposed at the front side of the female buckle member 1 in communication between the top-open receiving chamber 11 and the outside space, and a guide groove 122 in the top side of the receiving hole 121.

The male buckle member 2 comprises a base 21 fitting the front side of the front receiving portion 12, a rear mounting hole 211 in the rear bottom side of the base 21, a plug 22 forwardly extending from the front side of the base 21, an opening 221 formed in the plug 22, a retaining spring plate 222 extending from the front side of the plug 22 and suspending in the top side of the opening 221. The retaining spring plate 222 has a beveled front face 223 sloping obliquely downwardly to the front side of the plug 22, and a stop face 224 at the rear side of the beveled front face 223 above the rear end.

The operating member 3 is smoothly arched, comprising two partially chamfered pivot rods 31 respectively extending from its two opposite lateral sides, a front press portion 32, a rear finger strip 33, two vertical bottom walls 34 symmetrically disposed at its two opposite lateral sides, and two stop flanges 35 respectively protruding from the vertical bottom walls 34 toward the pivot rods 31.

During installation, a fastening member, for example, rivet 4 is mounted in the bottom mounting through hole 131 of the female buckle member 1 and fastened to a product 6 to affix the female buckle member 1 to the product 6, and then the two pivot rods 31 of the operating member 3 are respectively forced into the pivot holes 112 to pivotally secure the operating member 3 to the female buckle member 1. At this time, the front press portion 32 of the operating member 3 is stopped at the top side of the front receiving portion 12 of the female buckle member 1, and the two vertical bottom walls 34 and the two stop flanges 35 of the operating member 3 are stopped at the top side of the two opposite upright sidewalls of the top-open receiving chamber 11 of the female buckle member 1, and therefore the rear finger strip 33 is kept spaced above the top side of the female buckle member 1 at a distance for the grasping of the fingers conveniently. Further, a cord member 5 is fastened to the rear mounting hole 211 of the base 21 of the male buckle member 2.

Referring to FIGS. 4˜6, when fastening the male buckle member 2 to the female buckle member 1, insert the plug 22 of the male buckle member 2 into the receiving hole 121 of the front receiving portion 12 of the female buckle member 1. When inserting the plug 22 into the receiving hole 121, the beveled front face 223 of the retaining spring plate 222 is moved along the guide groove 122 to force the retaining spring plate 222 downwardly forwards toward the inside of the top-open receiving chamber 11. When the plug 22 is inserted through the front receiving portion 12 into the inside of the top-open receiving chamber 11, the retaining spring plate 222 immediately returns to its former shape, causing the stop face 224 to be stopped at the back side of the front receiving g portion 12 above the receiving hole 121, and therefore the male buckle member 2 is prohibited from backward displacement relative to the female buckle member 1.

When wishing to release the male buckle member 2 from the female buckle member 1, lift the rear finger strip 33 of the operating member 3 to turn the front press portion 32 downwards toward the inside of the top-open receiving chamber 11 and to further force the stop face 224 of the retaining spring plate 222 downwardly away from the constraint of the back side of the front receiving portion 12 into the receiving hole 121, and therefore the male buckle member 2 is released from the female buckle member 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5 again, the female buckle member 1 is affixed to the product 6 with the rivet 4, and the pivot rods 31 of the operating member 3 are respectively pivotally coupled to the pivot holes 112 of the female buckle member 1. When installed, the operating member 3 keeps the rivet 4 and the locating groove 13 of the female buckle member 1 from sight. Further, the cord member 5 is fastened to the rear mounting hole 211 in the rear bottom side of the base 21 of the male buckle member 2. Therefore, the female buckle member 1 and the male buckle member 2 keep the rivet 4 and the cord member 5 from sight, causing a sense of beauty. Further, the base 21 of the male buckle member 2 has a certain dimension conveniently for the grasping of the fingers.

In the aforesaid application example, the female buckle member 1 is fastened to the product 6, and the male buckle member 2 is fastened to a cord member 5. In other application examples of the present invention, the female buckle member 1 and the male buckle member 2 can be respectively fastened to two cord members 5 for joining the cord members 5.

Further, because the two vertical bottom walls 34 and the two stop flanges 35 of the operating member 3 are stopped at the top side of the two opposite upright sidewalls of the top-open receiving chamber 11 of the female buckle member 1, the rear finger strip 33 is kept spaced above the top side of the female buckle member 1 at a distance for the grasping of the fingers conveniently. Further, because of the design of the locating groove 13 and the bottom mounting through hole 131 for the mounting of the fastening member (rivet) 4 to fasten the female buckle member 1 to the product 6, the dimension of the female buckle member 1 can be minimized. Further, the locating groove 13 and the rear side of the female buckle member 1 may be configured to provide a relatively greater space between the top wall of the rear side of the female buckle member 1 and the rear finger strip 33 of the operating member 3 for the insertion of the finger or an object to operate the operating member 3 and to further release the male buckle member 2 from the female buckle member 1.

In the aforesaid preferred embodiment, the operating member 3 has two pivot rods 31 respectively pivotally coupled to the respective pivot holes 112 of the female buckle member 1. Alternatively, the operating member 3 can be made having a transversely extending pivot hole for the mounting of a pivot shaft to pivotally secure the operating member 3 to the female buckle member 1.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, 5 and 6 again, the female buckle member 1 can be made having a bearing plate 123 smoothly curving upwards from its bottom wall and suspending in the top-open receiving chamber 11 above the bottom opening 111. When the plug 22 of the male buckle member 2 is inserted through the receiving hole 121 into the top-open receiving chamber 11, the front bottom side of the plug 22 is stopped at the bearing plate 123. Therefore, when a user operates the operating member 3 to press the front press portion 32 on the retaining spring plate 222, the bearing plate 123 prohibits the plug 22 from downward movement, and the retaining spring plate 222 is positively forced away from the constraint of the back side of the front receiving portion 12 into the receiving hole 121, unlocking the male buckle member 2 from the female buckle member 1.

As indicated above, the invention provides a buckle that has the following advantages and features:

1. After installation of the rivet 4 in the locating groove 13 and the bottom mounting through hole 131 of the female buckle member 1 to affix the female buckle member 1 to the product 6, the operating member 3 is pivoted to the female buckle member 1 to keep the rivet 4 from sight. After fastening of the male buckle member 2 to the cord member 5, the base 21 keeps the cord member 5 from sight.

2. Because the two vertical bottom walls 34 and the two stop flanges 35 of the operating member 3 are stopped at the top side of the two opposite upright sidewalls of the top-open receiving chamber 11 of the female buckle member 1, the rear finger strip 33 is kept spaced above the top side of the female buckle member 1 at a distance for the grasping of the fingers conveniently. Therefore, the user can operate the operating member 3 and further release the male buckle member 2 from the female buckle member 1.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 

1. A buckle comprising: a female buckle member, said female buckle member comprising a top-open receiving chamber, a front receiving portion at a front side of said top-open receiving chamber, a receiving hole disposed in communication with said top-open receiving chamber, a guide groove in a top side of said receiving hole, and a locating groove disposed in a rear side of said top-open receiving chamber for the mounting of a fastening member to fasten said female buckle member to a first external device; a male buckle member connectable to said female buckle member, said male buckle member comprising a base fitting a front side of said front receiving portion of said female buckle member, a rear mounting hole in a rear bottom side of said base for the mounting of a second external device, and a plug extending from a front side of said base and insertable through said receiving hole of said front receiving portion of said female buckle member into said top-open receiving chamber to lock said male buckle member to said female buckle member, and said plug comprising an opening, a retaining spring plate extending from a front side thereof and suspending above said opening, a beveled front face sloping obliquely downwardly to the front side of said plug, and a stop face at a back side of said beveled front face; and an operating member pivoted to said female buckle member for releasing said plug from said front receiving portion of said female buckle member, said operating member comprising a front press portion for pressing on said retaining spring plate of said plug to force said plug away from said front receiving portion of said female buckle member, a rear finger strip extending from a rear side thereof and covering over said locating groove of said female buckle member for lifting by an external lifting force to force said front press portion against said plug of said male buckle member, and two vertical bottom walls disposed at two opposite lateral sides thereof and respectively stopped at a top side of said female buckle member to keep said rear finger strip above said female buckle member at a distance.
 2. The buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said female buckle member comprises a bottom opening in a bottom side of said top-open receiving chamber, and a bearing plate suspending in said top-open receiving chamber above said bottom opening for supporting said plug of said male buckle member after insertion of said plug through said front receiving portion of said female buckle member into said top-open receiving chamber.
 3. The buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said female buckle member comprises two pivot holes bilaterally disposed at two opposite sides in said top-open receiving chamber; said operating member comprises two pivot rods symmetrically disposed at two opposite lateral sides thereof and respectively pivoted to said pivot holes of said female buckle member. 4-7. (canceled)
 8. The buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said female buckle member has a bottom mounting through hole in a bottom side of said locating groove.
 9. The buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said operating member comprises two stop flanges respectively extending from said two vertical bottom stop walls.
 10. The buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said operating member is smoothly arched.
 11. The buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first external device is a body of an article, and said second external device is a cord member of said article. 